Baku, August 22, AZERTAC

A public court hearing continued on August 22 regarding the criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of Armenia, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others, who are accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of an aggressive war, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure and retention of power, and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.

The trial, held at the Baku Military Court under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Agayev, with judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova), ensured that each accused person was provided with a translator in their preferred language and defense lawyers.

The hearing was attended by the accused, their defense attorneys, some of the victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as prosecutors defending the state’s accusations.

Judge Zeynal Aghayev introduced the judicial panel, the prosecutors defending the state’s accusations, the translators, and others to the victims participating in the trial for the first time, and explained their rights and obligations as stipulated by law.

The hearing continued with the testimonies of the victims.

Victim Mahbuba Babirkhanova stated that she became an IDP due to the Armenian armed forces’ attacks on Aghdam district in 1993.

Another victim Elmira Hasanova noted that she and her family members were forcibly displaced from Aghdam district in 1993, adding that her brother was martyred in Aghdara on August 28, 1992.

Answering the question from Nasir Bayramov, Head of the Department of Public Prosecution Defense of the Prosecutor General's Office, victim Zanura Abishova said she was forcibly expelled from Aghdam district due to the Armenian armed forces’ attacks in July 1993.

Victim Saadat Hashimova claimed that she was forcibly displaced from Aghdam district in 1993, because of the Armenian armed forces’ attacks. Responding to the question from Vusal Aliyev, Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General, the victim said that the enemy opened fire at civilians during the occupation.

Answering the inquiry from state prosecutor Fuad Musayev, victim Arzu Badalova emphasized that she was forcibly displaced from the Eyvazkhanbayli village of the Aghdam district in 1993, due to the Armenian armed forces’ attacks.

Another victim Basira Soltanova, a resident of the Giyasli village in Aghdam district, claimed that she and her family members became IDPs during the Armenian attacks on the village in July 1993, adding that one family was exterminated because of the enemy’s Grad missile attack.

Victim Jeyran Mukhtarova said that she moved to the Kangarli village of Aghdam district in 1988 after getting married. According to her, despite living in Baku with her husband because of his job, they were frequently visiting their relatives in the village. She further stated that the attacks on the Aghdam district had intensified after 1992, adding that several of her relatives were wounded and martyred during the occupation.

Victim Mukhtar Hashimov said that he was forcibly displaced from the Jijimli village in Lachin district due to the Armenian armed forces’ attacks on May 18, 1992. According to him, the Armenians killed the local shepherd Mehdi Mahammadov, while he was grazing cattle in 1989. The Armenians then extensively shelled the village in 1992, using modern arms, with the victim and his baby daughter sustained leg wounds during those attacks.

“Our gravestones were destroyed and our ancestors’ gold teeth were stolen, and the historical and religious monuments were looted,” Hashimov added, while responding to the questions from state prosecutor Tarana Mammadova.

Victim Fikrat Firidov, a resident of the Lachin district, said he was forcibly displaced due to the Armenian armed forces’ attacks on the area in May 1992.

Firidov added that his fellow compatriot Ahliman Haziyev was killed, with the enemy cutting off his leg, gouging his eyes out, and incising a cross onto his chest and handing his body back over.

In his testimony, victim Adil Alaskarov stated that he was forcibly expelled from the Fuzuli city because of Armenian armed forces’ attacks in August 1993. Responding to the question from Tuqay Rahimli, Assistant to the Prosecutor General for special assignments, the victim noted that his cousin Karam Alaskarov had gone missing in Aghdara. He further added that while visiting the Fuzuli city following the liberation, he saw his family house and graveyard destroyed.

Another victim Mehman Mammadov, a resident of the Gubadli district, said that the Armenian attacks on the district intensified in the late August 1993, therefore, he had to leave the district.

Victim Vahid Musayev, a resident of the Jijimli village in Lachin district, claimed that the Armenian attacks left casualties and wounded among the civilians. Musayev stated that he was forcibly displaced from the village on May 18, 1992. According to him, his cousin Mehdi Mammadov was shot in the head by Armenian militants, while greasing animals. Musayev said that he saw his family house and graveyard destroyed, while visiting the district after the liberation.

Victim Allahverdi Allahverdiyev stated in his testimony that he was forcibly displaced from the Shafibeyli village in Zangilan in 1993.

Victim Sarkhan Abbasov, from the Atyemazli village in Giyasli administrative area of Aghdam district, stated that he removed 28 bodies from the city during the Khojaly tragedy in February 1992. “After that tragedy, Aghdam district began to be shelled more intensively, and in 1993 we were forced to leave the district,” he noted.

Noting that he hails from Jijimli village of Lachin district, victim Sadraddin Mammadov said: "Our village bordered the villages of Gorus. Starting in 1988, our district was under artillery fire from the villages of Gorus. In the following years, the fire intensified. Our village was located in a valley. As a result of the shelling, a baby and a teacher were injured in our village, and we also had martyrs. In May 1992, we became internally displaced persons from the district."

Responding to the questions from the public prosecutor Vusal Abdullayev, the victim said that when he returned to Jijimli village after its liberation from occupation, he saw that his houses had been destroyed and his property had been damaged. He also emphasized that historical and religious sites in his village had also been subjected to acts of vandalism. Thus, the upper part of the Malik Ajdar tomb, the village mosque and cemetery, and the gravestones were demolished.

Ramiz Tahmazov, victim from the village of Damirchilar in Gubadli, stated that he was forcibly displaced from the district in 1993 as a result of the incessant attacks of the Armenian armed forces: "When we left the village, they shelled our vehicles. Fortunately, we escaped without injury. We had to abandon our 5-6-room house, livestock, and car in the district," he stressed.

Victim Rahim Jabbarov stated that he was forcibly displaced from the village of Ashagi Mollu of Gubadli in 1993 due to the Armenian armed forces’ attacks. Noting that his brother was martyred, and he was taken hostage for one day, he added: “When I visited our village and cemetery following the liberation from the occupation, I saw that the graves in the cemetery were blown up with shells.”

Victims Fizuli Pashayev and Firad Hasanov emphasized that they were forcibly displaced from the Zangilan district due to the Armenian armed forces’ attacks in October 1993.

Victim Eldar Rustamov stated that there was a large-scale attack on Shusha on May 7-8, 1992, and that they were shelled by the enemy. He stated that he was wounded in the head and back.

Victim Elchin Isgandarov, who said that he became an IDP from Gubadli in August 1993, mentioned that his relatives Eldaniz, Ilham, Shirin, Vidadi, Savalan and others were martyred.

Victim Bakhtiyar Mammadov reported being injured in 1993 in the direction from Kurdmahmudlu to Alkhanli in Fuzuli district.

Victim Fizuli Najafi, who was forcibly displaced from the Yusifjanli village of Aghdam district in July 1993, said four members of his family were also martyred.

Victims Ulfat Rajabov, Parviz Hasanov, Rasim Huseynov, Mehman Rzayev, and Alikhamin Asadov emphasized that as a result of the attacks by the Armenian armed forces in 1992, Lachin district was shelled with artillery and other weapons, villages were burned down, and thus, they became internally displaced persons.

Gatiba Haziyeva, Khaliq Mammadov and Elkhan Imanov from Fuzuli district, and Parvana Khalilova and Nadir Safarov from Aghdam district, stated that they were forcibly displaced. They said that when they visited their homeland following the liberation of their lands from occupation, they found their homes destroyed and their residential areas devastated.

Khayal Mammadhasanov, Habiba Abbasova, Surkhay Huseynov, Ali Najafov and Hafiz Aghakishiyev stated in their testimonies that they were wounded due to the attacks by the Armenian armed forces.

Victim Sakhavat Namazov noted that he was forcibly displaced from the village of Gorazilli in Fuzuli in 1993. “When we came back there following the liberation of our lands from occupation, we saw that the graves of our relatives had been destroyed. Not a single stone of the houses in our village remained intact,” he added.

Another victim from the village of Juvarli in the Fuzuli district Ajdar Guliyev testified that 12 residents of the village, including his son and cousin, were killed due to the attacks by the Armenian armed forces: “Two of them were women. The Armenians burned down our houses and destroyed our graves. In 1992, they captured Mugham Aliyev and Novruz Guliyev. It was reported that their bodies were buried in the village of Edilli, and it was later announced that their remains had been discovered. We took their corpses out of there and buried them.”

In his testimony, victim Novruz Novruzov stated that in 1992, when he visited the graves of his relatives in the cemetery in Aghdam, he was shot by the Armenian servicemen. He also emphasized that he saw a large number of bodies being brought to the Aghdam mosque during the Khojaly events.

Victim Sakina Khalilova testified that she witnessed the Khojaly genocide: “They took us hostage on the outskirts of the city, keeping us in a stable, and beating brutally. My 15-year-old daughter was wounded in the head, and she is still undergoing treatment. They subjected our women to unimaginable torture there. They broke the back and arm of a man named Salim.”

She noted that the second group of disability is assigned to her eldest son who was injured in an explosion of the mine planted by the Armenian armed forces in Jabrayil, while her other son was killed in the Khojaly tragedy at the age of 22.

Victim Anar Safarov said that in 1989, Armenians were organizing demonstrations in the direction of Asgaran. Two of his classmates were killed by gunfire from Armenian police. "Iin 1993, the village of Papravand in Aghdam was occupied. The bodies of the martyrs were buried. When their relatives were holding a mourning ceremony near Shahbulag, the enemy fired a missile at the ceremony. Taleh's father and uncle, who were holding a mourning ceremony, were killed there," he added.

The victims also answered questions from the accused, including the defendants' attorneys, and representatives of the victims.

The trial will continue on August 25.

Fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are accused in the criminal case concerning numerous crimes committed during the aggressive war waged by the Armenian state - including the aforementioned criminal association - on the territory of Azerbaijan, in violation of domestic and international legal norms. These crimes were committed for the purpose of military aggression against Azerbaijan and were carried out under the direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, officials of its state institutions, its armed forces, and illegal armed formations, through their written and verbal orders, instructions, and guidelines; material, technical, and personnel support; centralized management; as well as under strict control and under the leadership and direct or indirect participation of Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Musheghi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others.

The following individuals - Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, and Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan - are being charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, and waging a war of aggression); Article 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection); Article 103 (genocide); Article 105 (extermination of the population); Article 106 (enslavement); Article 107 (deportation or forced displacement of population); Article 109 (persecution); Article 110 (enforced disappearance of persons); Article 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law); Article 113 (torture); Article 114 (mercenary service); Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare); Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict); Article 118 (military robbery); Article 120 (intentional murder); Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship); Article 214 (terrorism); Article 214-1 (financing terrorism); Article 218 (creation of a criminal organization); Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, and possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and devices); Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security); Article 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure); Article 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state); Article 279 (creation of armed groups not provided for by law); and additional articles.